Beeline Pest Control Search for: Entomophobia For all those that scream, stress or feel like their heart is going to explode whenever they see any small creature with multiple legs, it is possible you have entomophobia. Entomophobia is the fear of or aversion to all types of bugs. Most of us find this fear to be irrational. Bugs are a fraction of our size, and yet many of our physiological reactions make them appear to be a huge threat to our well-being. Why is it that so many of us are afraid of these tiny creatures? Symptoms of Entomophobia Phobias create an extreme amount of anxiety whenever we come in contact with whatever it is we fear. An insect phobia can create many unpleasant symptoms such as: Feeling faint Fuzzy vision or hearing In most situations, one feels that they MUST escape the situation that they’re in. These symptoms range from mild to severe, but overall they can be manageable with time. What Causes a Phobia of Insects? Although there isn’t a specific “trigger” to cause a phobia, there are some ideas as to how they can start. Sometimes an ugly experience with a bug, such as being stung, can spark a phobia within someone.

Memories of the pain or the oddity of the situation can keep the phobia alive. Parents also have a large impact on what their children fear. If a parent continually shows fear whenever they see a bug, the child will believe that the bug will harm them, causing anxiety. Overcoming Your Fears Because we have learned to fear insects, we have to unlearn the fear in order to overcome it. First, pinpoint why you might have this fear. Are you afraid of bites or stings? Or are you afraid of the way they look and move? Write down what it is you fear about bugs, or a particular bug. Educate yourself about that bug or bugs. Understanding what it is you fear will help you overcome the anxiety you feel when you see it. Start by drawing a picture of a bug you’re afraid of. Physically drawing out your fear will help you overcome your reactions. Progress into looking at black and white photos of your fear, and eventually colored pictures. When you’re ready, slowly start watching videos about bugs. Once you feel like you’ve got your emotions in control, check out an insect exhibit at your local zoo. Exposing yourself to bugs in short burst over time will help you overcome your fear.

Don’t force it too hard upon yourself in risk of causing too much panic. Remember that overcoming your fears will not happen overnight. Building up short exposures with bugs will in due time help you manage your phobia. In the mean time, make sure that your home and phobia is free from bugs by checking out our previous post: 3 Ways to Bug-Proof Your Home. By, Jessica Doucette Insects in Psychiatry - Cultural Entomology Digest - Insect Facts & History | Insects.org James Cook University , AUSTRALIA Insects have profoundly influenced our culture through time, and it is therefore not surprising that they feature prominently in some psychiatric disorders. Historically, there has been considerable confusion and definitional overlap between insect phobias, delusions of parasitosis and illusions of parasitosis. Insect phobias involve an irrational fear of insects without the insect bites or infestation actually being experienced; whereas in delusions of parasitosis the patient believes that the bites or infestations actually occur. Illusions of parasitosis result from real environmental stimuli which are incorrectly perceived as being due to insects.

Clinically, it is important to differentiate these conditions both from each other and from conditions with similar symptoms: the different psychologies involved should help direct appropriate treatment. Introduction Insects are an integral and influential part of our culture as illustrated by their infiltration of our language, arts, history, philosophy, and religion. However, as human society has become progressively more urbanized, insects have become progressively more estranged. As significant but increasingly intangible elements of our culture, insects now feature prominently in certain psychiatric disorders, much as do religious and extraterrestrial elements. Our perception of insects can range from appropriate apprehension when faced with the possibility of a bee sting, through subclinical and clinical insect phobias, to full blown psychotic delusions of insect attacks and infestations. We are concerned in this paper only with the clinical syndromes involving insects, since it is in this area that most confusion has arisen historically. Up until some twenty years ago most authors dealing with insects in psychiatry discussed several different syndromes under the same name. Authors are now increasingly aware of the distinctions bet-ween delusions of parasitosis, insect phobias, and illusions, but some overlap and confusion never the less remains.

No paper to date has discussed these syndromes specifically to differentiate between them. [Insect phobia; includes acarophobia (mites: scabies) and arachnophobia (spiders)]. Most people are at least wary, if not fearful, of certain insects (more correctly arthropods). This may be a reasonable fear based on knowledge or experience (bees, wasps, spiders, mosquitoes), an unreasonable but culturally understandable repulsion (cockroaches or flies), or a misplaced fearresulting from inadequate information (dragonflies, moths, crickets). A true insect phobia, on the other hand, is defined by the following criteria: Definition A persistent irrational fear of and compelling desire to avoid insects, mites, spiders, or similar phobic objects. Significant distress from the disturbance despite recognition by the individual that the fear is excessive or unreasonable. Not due to another mental disorder such as schizophrenia or obsessive compulsive disorder (modified from DSM III). The condition must be differentiated from delusions of parasitosis and illusions of parasitosis (following), and from obsessive compulsive disorder and schizophrenia. This can sometimes be difficult, even for an experienced psychiatrist.

For example, the phobic object may be an insect infestation; that is, the possibility of becoming infested by ectoparasites is the feared notion, not the parasites themselves (as distinct from a delusion in which an imaginary infestation is actually experienced). A phobia of penetration/filth can also lead to cleaning and sterilizing rituals identical to those seen in obsessive compulsive disorder. As pointed out by Olkowski and Olkowski (1976), the syndromes satisfying these criteria represent only the tip on an iceberg, with much unnecessary avoidance behavior never reaching a level where treatment is sought or necessary. History Although phobias probably occurred before recorded history, insects are less likely to have been phobic objects in the past. In hygienically urbanized western societies, many people have little first hand experience of insects other than flies and mosquitoes. Such urban societies are not as mentally or physically prepared for arthropod encounters as are rural communities (Coulson and Witter 1984). Psychopathology It is not unreasonable to assume that the danger and annoyance insects have caused to man over the millennia has resulted in an ingrained fear of insects in most societies.

Bites and stings to humans and domestic animals act not only as stimulators of toxic and allergic reactions, but insects have been the vectors of potentially fatal diseases since prehistoric times. It is only very recently that such diseases as yellow fever and plague have come under control. Others, like malaria, remain a significant problem. An almost Jungian fear of insects can therefore be rationalized in all of us even if in the form of conditioned over-reactions. Fazio (1972) has suggested that the latter are largely a result of “vicarious learning family dependency” rather than of traumatic conditioning; most of his subjects lacked any real contact with the feared insects. Such explanations, however, are more likely to underlie the non-clinical end of the phobic spectrum than they are to underlie phobias satisfying the criteria set out above. In these clinical cases, as in other phobias, the more likely cause is a displacement of diffuse anxiety to an external focus which can be avoided. The choice of insects as the phobic object may be random, symbolic, or perfectly logical. When symbolic the insects often represent filth and soiling.

They have also been interpreted as symbols of sexual penetration which cannot be eradicated (Schrut and Waldon 1963). The “logical” choice of insects as phobic objects is well described by Kolansky (1960). In a case of infantile neurosis and insect phobia involving a little girl, he describes how the symptoms resulted from her being told that her sister with pneumonia had died from a `bug.’ Finally it is worth mentioning the interpretation of Savory (1964). He suggests that the fear of insects is a result of their rapid movements leading to retinal image movements similar to those involved in falling. Adrenaline release and an increase in muscle tone follow, and these are the factors which lead the brain to interpret `fright’- much like Jane Lange’s theory of “feeling sorry because we cry.” Treatment and Prognosis The role of the entomologist is primarily to dispel any possible misconceptions which may be exacerbating the phobia. Education here is a crucial element (for example to clarify the harmlessness of dragonflies).

To put insects in a more positive light, and to remove such fears as may be passed on from parents, zoos and museums can play an integral educational role. The live insect exhibit at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum is an example: volunteers take insects from their cages and hold them out for visitors to fondle – which most children do (Mofet 1979!) Specialist treatment will be as for other phobias, and is largely determined by the therapist’s individual preferences. Methods reported in the literature include supportive psychotherapy, desensitization (Fazio and Erk 1973), insight psychotherapy, combination of therapies (possibly including group therapy), drug therapy (anxiolytics), modeling (Denney and Sullivan 1976), hypnotic regression and reframing (Domangue 1985), and implosive therapy (Fazio 1972). For chronic phobias the prognosis is good if the underlying conflict can be dealt with. If the conflict is deep and exhibits symbolic elements, the prognosis is worse, and the presence of compulsive symptoms such as cleaning makes it worse still (c.f. delusions of parasitosis).

Entomological aspect most medical graduates will have a basic knowledge of entomology, and will be able to reassure patients about the harmlessness of phobic objects such as dragonflies and moths. Reference to a basic entomology text, or a quick call to an entomologist, should be encouraged to help clarify any detailed misconception that may be contributing to the phobia. It is useful to remember that only blood feeders (mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, bedbugs) actively pursue humans. The more common phobic objects (spiders, bees) never bite or sting unless trapped or seriously threatened. Although the former category comprises insects which are associated with poverty or poor sanitation, insects in the latter category, which are beneficial to man, are feared the most (Olkowski and Olkowski 1976). DELUSIONS OF PARASITOSIS [Ekbom syndrome, monosymptomatic hypochondriasis, formication]. Although rarely mentioned in textbooks of psychiatry, and not classifiable in DSM III (Maier 1987), many European authors feel that `monosymptomatic hypochondriases’ deserve their own diagnostic label (Bishop 1980 and references therein).

The syndromes include dysmorphophobia, olfactory reference syndrome, and, most prominently, delusions of parasitosis. Ekbom (1938) was the first to clearly differentiate the syndrome from entomophobia, and his name is often used eponymously therewith. He used the term Dermato-zoenwahn, which is still current in the German literature (Musalek et al 1988). For English speakers, the term delusions of parasitosis, first used by Wilson and Miller (1946) appears to be the most appropriate, unless one has a penchant for eponyms. Definition An unshakable false belief that live organisms are present in the skin (Obermeyer 1961). These organisms range from insects to worms and bacteria (Wilson and Miller 1946), the type often depending upon the parasitological knowledge of the patient. It is important to note that delusions of parasitosis may be a symptom complex rather than a disease entity, as it is found in a variety of physical and mental diseases; nevertheless, it is often the only recognizable abnormal element.

Where the delusion of parasitosis is not the major symptom, as in Delirium Tremens, it may be better to use the term `formication.’ In this way, delusions of parasitosis should eventually become restricted to a single disease entity (or disappear from use) as our nosological knowledge increases. Maier (1987) suggests that the reines Dermatozoenwahns (true delusions of parasitosis) may be those not involving organically based diseases or schizophrenia. In his original description, Ekbom himself did not include delusions of parasitosis which were part of complex frame works, only those in which delusions of parasitosis were the sole psychiatric symptom (i.e. primary delusions). The condition must be differentiated from entomophobia (above). Similar symptoms may occur in a number of other conditions which, as discussed, are perhaps best other wise classified (drug induced organic brain syndrome (Bishop 1980, Bourgeois et al 1981, Todd 1968), schizophrenia, factitial dermatitis, manic depressive psychosis).

The most important diagnostic consideration is an awareness of the fact that patients with delusions of parasitosis experience the state of being infested. This is fundamentally different from having a fear of becoming infested, which falls into the category of entomophobia. This distinction has not been made clearly in the literature and is often a source of confusion between phobia and delusion( e.g. Galeota 1966). The phobia immediately entails a better prognosis, as reality testing remains unimpaired. History The earliest well documented case appears to be that described by Thibierge(1894), although he applied the term “Acarophobe.” The case is clearly one of delusions of parasitosis according to Ekbom’s later (1938) definition. Psychopathology An obsessional, anankastic personality is a predisposing factor in most suffers (Bourgeois et al 1981), and female cases are most frequently reported (Berrios 1985, Wilson and Miller 1946). The syndrome is often preceded by an original and very real arthropod infestation acting as a `trigger’ (Schrut and Waldron 1963).

Senile pruritus or other tactile sensory disorders may also act as triggers, which become elaborated into a delusion and are later `fixed’ (Wilson and Miller 1946, Berrios 1985). Possible triggers therefore also include systemic disease (diabetes, TB, syphilis) and deficiency states such as pellagra. These disorders (as well as real infestations!) must obviously be identified in order for treatment to be appropriate. Presenting complaints include itching, biting, stinging, burning and crawling sensations. Insects are often described as black or white, jumping, and sometimes emerging from cosmetics or toothpaste (Waldron 1962). The `matchbox’ sign, where the patient brings specimens at the first visit, is ominous. Microscopic examination of the contents usually reveals only lint, scabs, or other household dust. Such negative findings invariably lead to more intense collection and presentation of specimens (Schrutt and Waldron 1963). One can often elicit a list of attempted treatments including all imaginable varieties of detergents, balms and poisons. More rarely, the presenting complaint is one of auditory hallucination (Wilson and Miller 1946).

Patients most commonly present to dermatologists (if skin changes are present) or pest control officers (if they are not). In the former case excoriations are classically produced by the fingernails and there may also be signs of chemical burns as a result of attempts to kill the parasites. The patient is compelled to dig the parasites out, especially before going to bed, and often resorts to the use of a knife, tweezers or other sharp implement, leaving skin lesions consistent therewith. For those patients presenting to pest control officers, Gage (1957) and Galeota (1966) both warn of the risk of making treatment even harder by `fixing’ the delusion with reinforcing statements or insecticide applications. The symptoms may be carried over, or passed on by suggestion, to other members of the family. Folie ? deux occurs with a surprisingly high frequency. If a disease entity delusions of parasitosis exists per se, it may well lie within this category as a primary delusion (Evans and Merskey 1972).

Treatment and Prognosis Delusions of parasitosis are far more common than is indicated by the literature: almost every dermatologist knows of a couple of cases (Bourgeois et al 1981), as do most entomologists and pest control officers (Galeota 1966, Gage 1957, Weinstein pers obs.). Despite such an apparent frequency of affliction, there is no generally accepted approach to treatment, with many therapists (perhaps reasonably) adopting the attitude that “some treatment, scientific or foolish, which the patient can be made to apply with confidence, will bring about some relief” (Smith 1934). Psychotherapy and psychoanalysis have been successful in treating delusions of parasitosis associated with repressed conflicts over sexuality and aggression (Torch and Bishop 1981) and drug treatment with pimozide can provide significant relief of both itch and delusions (Hamann and Avnstorp 1982). A number of other treatments, including ECT, are used less frequently or have fallen out of favor. There is an ongoing debate as to whether dermatologists or psychiatrists should treat patients with delusions of parasitosis.

Dermat-ologists often argue that although psychiatrists are better qualified to deal with the delusions, the nature of the patients is such that they are likely to be lost to treatment should a psychiatrist be mentioned. It is therefore better for the dermatologist to maintain treatment on pimozide for example, than it is for the patient not to be treated at all (Hahmann and Avnstorp 1982). A good dermatologist should ideally be able to present the “second opinion” sought from the psychiatrist in such a way as to not loose the patient to further treatment. Obermeyer (1961) suggests that the dermatologist screen and refer sufferers along the following lines: Depression or psychosis present – immediate referral to a psychiatrist; Patient recognizing emotional involvement – referral to psychotherapist; Patient denying emotional involvement and hostile to psychiatric concepts – supportive or drug therapy administered by dermatologist. The prognosis is very variable, and often dependent on those other diagnosed or undiagnosed disease complexes which contribute to the symptomatology. The formication of Delirium Tremens for example has an excellent prognosis, but it is worse in schizophrenia and affective disorders.

The prognosis is very poor in paranoid conditions since these assessments are usually not suitable for psychotherapy/ analysis. Obermeyer (1961) describes paranoiacs who would dig into their skins “up to the time of involuntary parting, and who probably still dig, under somebody else’s auspices”! Entomological Aspects Although most therapists will see patients who have already been screened for genuine infestations, anyone involved with the case has the responsibility to ensure that another dermatologist or parasitologist rechecks negative findings if any doubt whatsoever exists. Despite the presence of personality traits or psychiatric symptoms which corroborate a diagnosis of delusions of parasitosis, the patient is sometimes infested. The reader is referred to a paper by Traver (1951) where she describes her suffering through a seven year infestation by the mite Dermatophagoides schermetewskyi Bogdanow. Unlike Sarcoptes scabei which is easily located in epidermal burrows, this beastie inhabits the dermis, and could not be found.

The response of the physicians she consulted was quite predictable when Traver presented with formication, classical self induced excoriation, a history of trying a long list of chemical remedies, and two adult female family members living with her with identical symptoms. The details of natural history related by patients are often quite complex (Miller 1954), and depend upon the patients’ previous entomological knowledge. Imagined animals range from fleas, lice and scabies through itch-mites, bedbugs and worms, to nondescript “black things” and insects new to science (Wilson and Miller 1946). In assessing the feasibility of the details related by the patient, it is important to compare these with existing knowledge. A rudimentary understanding of arachnid life cycles, biology and behavior, if not already known, is easily obtained by any therapist by consulting medical entomology texts or local entomologists. Remember that psychiatric patients can be the unwilling hosts of lice, mites, and bedbugs as easily as can anyone else. ILLUSIONS OF PARASITOSIS Unlike delusions of parasitosis, illusions of parasitosis result from actual environmental stimuli (Heidbreder and Waldron 1971).

The stimuli are incorrectly interpreted and are attributed to insects or other small organisms which are then thought to be biting or infesting the person, their home, and/or their working environment. Illusions of parasitosis are particularly common in groups. Their “contagious” nature parallels the high incidence of folie ? deux in delusions of parasitosis, and although not a psychiatric disorder per se, an awareness of such illusions may help to explain `triggering,’ suggestive cross infection, and psychological enhancement of both insect phobias and delusions of parasitosis. Illusions of parasitosis can be readily differentiated from both entomophobia and delusion of parasitosis by considering a few simple questions as outlined in the following table (adapted from Waldron 1972). History The phenomenon was first studied seriously in the context of “mass entomophobia” due to “cable mites” and “paper lice” in offices and laboratory environments in the 1960’s.

The subject borders on forensic entomology: see for example the classic account of how dermatitis caused by a persistent laboratory infestation of “cable mites” was eventually eliminated when rockwool aerosol was recognized as issuing from the laboratory air-vents (Scott and Clinton 1967). Today, such a case would undoubtedly have resulted in several law suits. Psychopathology Possibly the most notable aspect of illusions is the ease with which symptoms are transmitted. Dermatitis, itching, formication and bites (in this case obviously proportional to the causative stimulus) are the most common symptoms, and, in co-workers, a phobia of being affected. Over one hundred and fifty people may be affected simultaneously, the symptoms also being transmissible to unaffected individuals by suggestion. Females are most commonly affected, and associations are often made between the symptoms and personal office problems, leading to an overall loss of morale and efficiency. Environmental factors may be predisposing, such as a poor working environment, dull routine work, or too much pressure. Apart from obviously physical agents such as the rockwool mentioned above, the genesis of an outbreak has been broadly attributed to both transposition of symptoms and transmission by suggestion.

Transposition of symptoms may follow a true or triggering infestation, such as fleas at home. Resulting bites may be associated with a situation at the office, and the problem is thus transposed from one environment to another (Waldron 1972). Transmission of symptoms (e.g. itching) from one person to another may take place if the symptoms are in turn associated with the second person’s own personal office problems (ibid). The symptoms are often further exaggerated for secondary gain. Treatment and prognosis As with delusions of parasitosis, the importance of excluding a true entomological cause cannot be over-emphasized. An experienced pest-control officer or competent industrial epidemiologist should be consulted. In my own former laboratory, several people including myself were repeatedly and frustratingly bitten by something we could not locate for many days. “Starling lice” (Ornithonyssus sp. – a mite) were the cause, and pigeon and starling nests were subsequently removed from the eaves of the building. Non-entomological causes may be identified with the help of some detailed detective work, as in the case of Scott and Clinton’s “cable mites” (1967).

The therapist’s role is to be aware of the possibility of such illusions in the context of their interactions with the disorders discussed previously. In the absence of complicating factors, the illusions obviously resolve once the physical stimulus is identified and eliminated. Symptoms are also substantially alleviated by action taken in deference to the psychological state of the workers, such as their working environment, chores and work pressure (Scott and Clinton 1967). Entomological Aspects “Cable mites” and “paper lice” are non-existent entities. Those arthropods which are potential pests to man have well defined behavior and habitat requirements, all of which can be discovered in medical entomology texts or in consultation with local entomologists. A comparison of known facts to reported complaints will, as in the delusions of parasitosis, tend to support or reject the involvement of insects or other arthropods. Entomological effects of psychiatric conditions Although entomological effects of psychiatric conditions cannot be considered significant in the current context, they are mentioned here for completeness and for interest. Coulson and Witter (1984) classify human responses to arthropods in 5 categories.

When confronted with insects or damage they have caused people either: Go hysterical – i.e. exhibit entomophobia Go on a killing spree (“the only good insect is a dead insect”) Tolerate the insects and plant damage once they understand that no serious or permanent harm can be done Are indifferent or do not respond Go ‘environmental’, protect living things, and denounce all insecticides and repellents. Which response is likely depends upon the person’s knowledge and experience as well as the type and number of insects. At a community level, the uninformed extrapolations made from germ theory have resulted in excessive `cleanliness,’ with overuse of insecticides, elimination of natural predators, and development of insecticide resistance (Olkowski and Olkowski 1976). At an individual level, the more interesting cases arise, such as the traditional example of the arachnophobic man who obsessively killed every spider in his house and garden. Having removed all predators, the pest resurgence in his vegetable patch was phenomenal! My favorite case report is that of an Irish woman who passed thousands of coprophagous beetles of the genus Blaps in her stools.

She presumably ingested eggs or larvae inadvertently when she ate clay and chalk taken from the graves of priests (Westwood 1839, cited in Matthews 1975)! Fortunately, people with entomologically oriented psychiatric disorders are (arguably) not frequently in positions of political or economic power, and such people do not therefore affect insects in the ecological sense.return I wish to thank the late Charles Hogue for his early encouragement in pursuing this topic, and Dexter Sear for subsequently facilitating the project. Jack White helped with references and Agnes Feld typed the manuscript. What is Entomophobia? (with pictures) What is Entomophobia? Last Modified Date: 12 January 2017 Copyright Protected: 10 most extreme places on Earth Also known as insectophobia, entomophobia is an unreasonable and extreme fear of insects, bugs and other arthropods. The condition may manifest itself as an inability to tolerate viewing any type of bug or insect or focus more on the inability to tolerate touching insects or even worms. There are a number of specific phobias related to entomophobia, such as arachnophobia (the fear of spiders ) and apiphobia (the fear of any type of bees).

The symptoms associated with this phobia are similar to the symptoms manifested with many other irrational fears. An entomophobic is likely to experience enough anxiety upon viewing or otherwise coming into contact with an insect that he or she experiences a full-blown series of panic attacks. With extreme cases, the individual may lose consciousness for a short period of time. Uncontrollable weeping or a strong desire to flee from the area are also common signs that indicate an individual is suffering with this particular phobia. Ad Because entomophobia symptoms are similar to those related to other phobias and various health ailments, it normally takes a trained healthcare professional to arrive at a verifiable entomophobia definition. In making the evaluation, the therapist or psychologist will seek to define entomophobia by means of observation of the symptoms that are manifested and what triggers are required to produce each symptom. This makes it possible to determine if the individual is suffering from a general fear of insects and crawling creatures, or is suffering with a more specific phobia of some type. Once a professional diagnosis is achieved, it is possible to begin an effective entomophobia treatment series that is designed to address the degree of severity exhibited by the patient.

Similar to other phobias, the treatments usually make use of both ongoing therapy and counseling coupled with the use of medications to provide some degree of relief from the symptoms. Medication can help to minimize the frequency and strength of panic attacks upon seeing a bug, while therapy can often identify the underlying causes and eventually defuse their power to trigger a reaction. Loved ones can often benefit from learning more about entomophobia and what they can do in helping a friend or relative overcome the condition. Many therapists provide some general guidelines that can be employed to help loved ones recognize the signs and symptoms associated with the phobia. The guidelines also help the friend or relative to understand what they should and should not do in the event the patient faints or goes into a particularly severe panic attack. Ad Entomophobia or fear of insects... | Radan Desintec Documents and others Entomophobia or fear of insects... Entomophobia (also known as insectophobia) is a common fear of or aversion to insects and similar arthropods, and even other terrestrial invertebrate animals, such as worms. Commonly, this condition might be referred to as the "fear of insects or bugs".

This condition causes a slight to severe emotional reaction, a form of anxiety or a panic attack. It is a particular case of specific phobias, all of which have basically the same causes (differing mostly in the source of phobia) and similar choices of treatments. However, people often mix up aversion and phobia. Aversion to insects is natural, it is a human instinct and has been for hundreds of thousands of years. On the other hand, phobia is not instinctive. Aversion, however, can turn into phobia, which is irrational and immense fear. Among notable cases are apiphobia (fear of bees) and myrmecophobia (fear of ants). The symptoms associated with this phobia are similar to the symptoms manifested with many other irrational fears. An entomophobic is likely to experience enough anxiety upon viewing or otherwise coming into contact with an insect that he or she experiences a full-blown series of panic attacks. With extreme cases, the individual may lose consciousness for a short period of time. Uncontrollable weeping or a strong desire to flee from the area are also common signs that indicate an individual is suffering with this particular phobia.

Because entomophobia symptoms are similar to those related to other phobias and various health ailments, it normally takes a trained healthcare professional to arrive at a verifiable entomophobia definition. In making the evaluation, the therapist or psychologist will seek to define entomophobia by means of observation of the symptoms that are manifested and what triggers are required to produce each symptom. This makes it possible to determine if the individual is suffering from a general fear of insects and crawling creatures, or is suffering with a more specific phobia of some type. Once a professional diagnosis is achieved, it is possible to begin an effective entomophobia treatment series that is designed to address the degree of severity exhibited by the patient. Similar to other phobias, the treatments usually make use of both ongoing therapy and counseling coupled with the use of medications to provide some degree of relief from the symptoms. Medication can help to minimize the frequency and strength of panic attacks upon seeing a bug, while therapy can often identify the underlying causes and eventually defuse their power to trigger a reaction. Loved ones can often benefit from learning more about entomophobia and what they can do in helping a friend or relative overcome the condition.

Many therapists provide some general guidelines that can be employed to help loved ones recognize the signs and symptoms associated with the phobia. The guidelines also help the friend or relative to understand what they should and should not do in the event the patient faints or goes into a particularly severe panic attack. Source: Wikipedia. The Phobia List Amaxophobia- Fear of riding in a car. Ambulophobia- Fear of walking. Amychophobia- Fear of scratches or being scratched. Anablephobia- Fear of looking up. Ancraophobia- Fear of wind. (Anemophobia) Androphobia- Fear of men. Anemophobia- Fear of air drafts or wind.(Ancraophobia) Anginophobia- Fear of angina, choking or narrowness. Anglophobia- Fear of England or English culture, etc. Angrophobia - Fear of anger or of becoming angry. Ankylophobia- Fear of immobility of a joint. Anthrophobia or Anthophobia- Fear of flowers. Anthropophobia- Fear of people or society. Antlophobia- Fear of floods. Anuptaphobia- Fear of staying single. Apeirophobia- Fear of infinity.

Aphenphosmphobia- Fear of being touched. (Haphephobia) Apiphobia- Fear of bees. Apotemnophobia- Fear of persons with amputations. Arachibutyrophobia- Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. Arachnephobia or Arachnophobia- Fear of spiders. Arithmophobia- Fear of numbers. Cainophobia or Cainotophobia- Fear of newness, novelty. Caligynephobia- Fear of beautiful women. Cancerophobia or Carcinophobia- Fear of cancer. Cardiophobia- Fear of the heart. Carnophobia- Fear of meat. Catagelophobia- Fear of being ridiculed. Catapedaphobia- Fear of jumping from high and low places. Cathisophobia- Fear of sitting. Cenophobia or Centophobia- Fear of new things or ideas. Ceraunophobia or Keraunophobia- Fear of thunder and lightning.(Astraphobia, Astrapophobia) Chaetophobia- Fear of hair. Cheimaphobia or Cheimatophobia- Fear of cold.(Frigophobia, Psychophobia) Chemophobia- Fear of chemicals or working with chemicals.

Cherophobia- Fear of gaiety. Chiraptophobia- Fear of being touched. Chirophobia- Fear of hands. Cholerophobia- Fear of anger or the fear of cholera. Chorophobia- Fear of dancing. Chrometophobia or Chrematophobia- Fear of money. Chromophobia or Chromatophobia- Fear of colors. Chronophobia- Fear of time. Cibophobia- Fear of food.(Sitophobia, Sitiophobia) Claustrophobia- Fear of confined spaces. Cleithrophobia or Cleisiophobia- Fear of being locked in an enclosed place. Cleptophobia- Fear of stealing. Climacophobia- Fear of stairs, climbing, or of falling downstairs. Clinophobia- Fear of going to bed. Clithrophobia or Cleithrophobia- Fear of being enclosed. Cnidophobia- Fear of stings. Decidophobia- Fear of making decisions. Defecaloesiophobia- Fear of painful bowels movements. Deipnophobia- Fear of dining or dinner conversations. Dementophobia- Fear of insanity. Demonophobia or Daemonophobia- Fear of demons. Demophobia- Fear of crowds.

(Agoraphobia) Dendrophobia- Fear of trees. Dermatophobia- Fear of skin lesions. Dermatosiophobia or Dermatophobia or Dermatopathophobia- Fear of skin disease. Dextrophobia- Fear of objects at the right side of the body. Diabetophobia- Fear of diabetes. Didaskaleinophobia- Fear of going to school. Dikephobia- Fear of justice. Dinophobia- Fear of dizziness or whirlpools. Diplophobia- Fear of double vision. Dipsophobia- Fear of drinking. Dishabiliophobia- Fear of undressing in front of someone. Disposophobia- Fear of throwing stuff out. Hoarding. Domatophobia- Fear of houses or being in a house.(Eicophobia, Oikophobia) Doraphobia- Fear of fur or skins of animals. Doxophobia- Fear of expressing opinions or of receiving praise. Dromophobia- Fear of crossing streets. Dutchphobia- Fear of the Dutch. Dysmorphophobia- Fear of deformity. Hagiophobia- Fear of saints or holy things. Hamartophobia- Fear of sinning.

Haphephobia or Haptephobia- Fear of being touched. Harpaxophobia- Fear of being robbed. Hedonophobia- Fear of feeling pleasure. Heliophobia- Fear of the sun. Hellenologophobia- Fear of Greek terms or complex scientific terminology. Helminthophobia- Fear of being infested with worms. Hemophobia or Hemaphobia or Hematophobia- Fear of blood. Heresyphobia or Hereiophobia- Fear of challenges to official doctrine or of radical deviation. Herpetophobia- Fear of reptiles or creepy, crawly things. Heterophobia- Fear of the opposite sex. (Sexophobia) Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia- Fear of the number 666. Hierophobia- Fear of priests or sacred things. Hippophobia- Fear of horses. Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia- Fear of long words. Hobophobia- Fear of bums or beggars. Hodophobia- Fear of road travel. Hormephobia- Fear of shock. Homophobia- Fear of sameness, monotony or of homosexuality or of becoming homosexual. Hoplophobia- Fear of firearms.

Hydrargyophobia- Fear of mercurial medicines. Hydrophobia- Fear of water or of rabies. Hydrophobophobia- Fear of rabies. Hyelophobia or Hyalophobia- Fear of glass. Hygrophobia- Fear of liquids, dampness, or moisture. Hylephobia- Fear of materialism or the fear of epilepsy. Hylophobia- Fear of forests. Hypengyophobia or Hypegiaphobia- Fear of responsibility. Hypnophobia- Fear of sleep or of being hypnotized. Hypsiphobia- Fear of height. Iatrophobia- Fear of going to the doctor or of doctors. Ichthyophobia- Fear of fish. Illyngophobia- Fear of vertigo or feeling dizzy when looking down. Iophobia- Fear of poison. Isolophobia- Fear of solitude, being alone. Isopterophobia- Fear of termites, insects that eat wood. Ithyphallophobia- Fear of seeing, thinking about or having an erect penis. Metrophobia- Fear or hatred of poetry. Microbiophobia- Fear of microbes. (Bacillophobia) Microphobia- Fear of small things.

Misophobia or Mysophobia- Fear of being contaminated with dirt or germs. Mnemophobia- Fear of memories. Molysmophobia or Molysomophobia- Fear of dirt or contamination. Monophobia- Fear of solitude or being alone. Monopathophobia- Fear of definite disease. Motorphobia- Fear of automobiles. Musophobia or Muriphobia- Fear of mice. Mycophobia- Fear or aversion to mushrooms. Mycrophobia- Fear of small things. Myctophobia- Fear of darkness. Mythophobia- Fear of myths or stories or false statements. Myxophobia- Fear of slime. (Blennophobia) Nebulaphobia- Fear of fog. (Homichlophobia) Necrophobia- Fear of death or dead things. Nelophobia- Fear of glass. Neopharmaphobia- Fear of new drugs. Neophobia- Fear of anything new. Nephophobia- Fear of clouds. Noctiphobia- Fear of the night. Nomatophobia- Fear of names. Nosophobia or Nosemaphobia- Fear of becoming ill. Nostophobia- Fear of returning home. Novercaphobia- Fear of your step-mother.

Nucleomituphobia- Fear of nuclear weapons. Nudophobia- Fear of nudity. Nyctohylophobia- Fear of dark wooded areas or of forests at night Nyctophobia- Fear of the dark or of night. If you appreciate the Phobia List, please help support it. Obesophobia- Fear of gaining weight.(Pocrescophobia) Ochlophobia- Fear of crowds or mobs. Ochophobia- Fear of vehicles. Octophobia - Fear of the figure 8. Odontophobia- Fear of teeth or dental surgery. Odynophobia or Odynephobia- Fear of pain. (Algophobia) Oenophobia- Fear of wines. Oikophobia- Fear of home surroundings, house.(Domatophobia, Eicophobia) Olfactophobia- Fear of smells. Ombrophobia- Fear of rain or of being rained on. Ommetaphobia or Ommatophobia- Fear of eyes. Omphalophobia- Fear of belly buttons. Oneirophobia- Fear of dreams. Oneirogmophobia- Fear of wet dreams. Onomatophobia- Fear of hearing a certain word or of names. Ophidiophobia- Fear of snakes.

(Snakephobia) Ophthalmophobia- Fear of being stared at. Opiophobia- Fear medical doctors experience of prescribing needed pain medications for patients. Optophobia- Fear of opening one's eyes. Ornithophobia- Fear of birds. Osmophobia or Osphresiophobia- Fear of smells or odors. Ostraconophobia- Fear of shellfish. Peladophobia- Fear of bald people. Pellagrophobia- Fear of pellagra. Pentheraphobia- Fear of mother-in-law. (Novercaphobia) Phagophobia- Fear of swallowing or of eating or of being eaten. Phalacrophobia- Fear of becoming bald. Phallophobia- Fear of a penis, esp erect. Pharmacophobia- Fear of taking medicine. Phasmophobia- Fear of ghosts. Phengophobia- Fear of daylight or sunshine. Philemaphobia or Philematophobia- Fear of kissing. Philophobia- Fear of falling in love or being in love. Philosophobia- Fear of philosophy. Photoaugliaphobia- Fear of glaring lights. Photophobia- Fear of light. Phonophobia- Fear of noises or voices or one's own voice; of telephones.

Phronemophobia- Fear of thinking. Phthiriophobia- Fear of lice. (Pediculophobia) Phthisiophobia- Fear of tuberculosis. Sarmassophobia- Fear of love play. (Malaxophobia) Satanophobia- Fear of Satan. Scatophobia- Fear of fecal matter. Scelerophibia- Fear of bad men, burglars. Sciophobia Sciaphobia- Fear of shadows. Scoleciphobia- Fear of worms. Scopophobia or Scoptophobia- Fear of being seen or stared at. Scotomaphobia- Fear of blindness in visual field. Scotophobia- Fear of darkness. (Achluophobia) Scriptophobia- Fear of writing in public. Selachophobia- Fear of sharks. Selaphobia- Fear of light flashes. Selenophobia- Fear of the moon. Seplophobia- Fear of decaying matter. Sesquipedalophobia- Fear of long words. Sexophobia- Fear of the opposite sex. (Heterophobia) Siderodromophobia- Fear of trains, railroads or train travel. Siderophobia- Fear of stars. Sinistrophobia- Fear of things to the left or left-handed.

Sinophobia- Fear of Chinese, Chinese culture. Sitophobia or Sitiophobia- Fear of food or eating. (Cibophobia) Snakephobia- Fear of snakes. (Ophidiophobia) Soceraphobia- Fear of parents-in-law. Social Phobia- Fear of being evaluated negatively in social situations. Sociophobia- Fear of society or people in general. Somniphobia- Fear of sleep. Soteriophobia - Fear of dependence on others. Spacephobia- Fear of outer space. Spectrophobia- Fear of specters or ghosts. Spermatophobia or Spermophobia- Fear of germs. Spheksophobia- Fear of wasps. Stasibasiphobia or Stasiphobia- Fear of standing or walking. (Ambulophobia) Staurophobia- Fear of crosses or the crucifix. Stenophobia- Fear of narrow things or places. Stygiophobia or Stigiophobia- Fear of hell. Suriphobia- Fear of mice. Taeniophobia or Teniophobia- Fear of tapeworms. Taphephobia Taphophobia- Fear of being buried alive or of cemeteries. Tapinophobia- Fear of being contagious.

Taurophobia- Fear of bulls. Teleophobia- 1) Fear of definite plans. 2) Religious ceremony. Telephonophobia- Fear of telephones. Teratophobia- Fear of bearing a deformed child or fear of monsters or deformed people. Testophobia- Fear of taking tests. Tetanophobia- Fear of lockjaw, tetanus. Teutophobia- Fear of German or German things. Textophobia- Fear of certain fabrics. Thaasophobia- Fear of sitting. Thalassophobia- Fear of the sea. Thanatophobia or Thantophobia- Fear of death or dying. Theatrophobia- Fear of theatres. Theophobia- Fear of gods or religion. Thermophobia- Fear of heat. Tocophobia- Fear of pregnancy or childbirth. Tomophobia- Fear of surgical operations. Tonitrophobia- Fear of thunder. Topophobia- Fear of certain places or situations, such as stage fright. Toxiphobia or Toxophobia or Toxicophobia- Fear of poison or of being accidently poisoned. Traumatophobia- Fear of injury. Insect Phobias Printer-friendly view Text size: A A New!

Anxiety Workshops commencing 7th Feb 2017. Insect Phobias Phobias are very common – it is believed that at least one person in 10 is affected at some time in their life. And phobias about insects are among the commonest of all. A severe phobia about them can be as disabling as any anxiety disorder. Some people become almost prisoners in their own homes for fear of common insects that the majority of people literally never notice. WHAT EXACTLY IS A PHOBIA? Anxiety is a human trait and most individuals will have experience of it. Anxiety helps with vigilance, learning and general performance but in excess, it starts to work against us as extreme self-focus and apprehension reduces this attention and performance. Anxiety at the minor symptom level is familiar to virtually all of us and from Anxiety Care's experience, this often seems to weigh against an acute sufferer seeking help.

Embarrassment and shame at an 'over reaction', perhaps aggravated by the particular blending of emotions (such as anger, shame, guilt or sadness mixing with a dominating fear) that make up their 'personal anxiety' keeps the problem hidden and prevents this person from understanding that their response doesn't mean they are weak, soft or immature. It is often not understood that anxiety can follow a continuum from mild to acute that leaves some people with 'liveable' responses but others deeply disabled. With animal phobias, the vast majority of people will be at, or close to, the mild end of the line where the problem is, at most, irritating, but in no way affects their everyday lives. This can work against the severe phobic as people experiencing a similar fear at a low level very easily come to believe that the acute sufferer is weak or ‘over reacting’. Severe anxiety releases adrenaline and other chemicals into our blood, and these speed up our heart-beat, sharpen our senses and heighten our physical powers. These changes prepare us for what is called 'flight or fight'- either to fight for our lives, or to run for them.

A phobia is a disorder in which the body reacts in exactly the same way, and we experience the same feelings of anxiety and fear - but in situations where there is absolutely no need for 'flight or fight'. The part of the mind that controls anxiety has, to all intents and purposes, lost all sense of proportion, and screams `danger!' when the situation is not threatening in any rational way. No matter how harmless the feared creature may be, for a severely phobic person the fear reaction is every bit as real as if the cause was a major threat. People with phobias usually realise all too well that their reaction is irrational, but this makes no difference to its effect. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PHOBIA? AInsect phobias can produce all the unpleasant symptoms of 'normal' extreme anxiety: heart palpitations dry throat restricted or 'fuzzy' vision or hearing. In severe cases, people may feel certain that they are about to die, go mad, or lose control of themselves and injure someone, or do some-thing disgusting and humiliating. Most of all they feel an overpowering urge to 'escape' from the situation they are in.

They develop an acute fear of repeating these very unpleasant experiences, and this is what starts the phobia: the extreme reaction that is eased by escaping from the situation, which, in turn, proves to that part of the mind that controls anxiety (which has little real ‘sense’) that the extreme response was good and necessary. Of course, these are feelings, not reality. In practice, even the worst panic attacks do not cause any long-term ill-effects, and people simply do not die, go mad, or cause general mayhem in the course of them. As said, the level of symptoms that people with phobias experience varies a great deal, from mild anxiety to very severe panic and terror. While some people simply jump a little when they hear a pigeon's wings fluttering, others can barely cope with the anxiety this brings. Some people who have full-scale panic attacks when a particular animal comes near them, refuse to go anywhere where they might encounter one. Others will not look at any book or magazine that might have photos of the feared creature in them. In the early stages of an insect phobia, people sometimes try to overcome their fears by brief encounters with the dreaded creature, usually retreating instantly as anxiety rises.

This escape brings a reduction of tension and rapidly becomes a habit, making it more likely that the next attempt will fail even quicker, and so on until resistance is given up. This is ‘conditioning’ to fear. To overcome the phobia this process has to be reversed: the sufferer has to gradually expose him- or herself to the feared situation and learn to tolerate the anxiety. The fear reaction is virtually automatic, and very difficult to control. In the early period of human development, it was a useful survival trait: as a soft bodied species surrounded by predators, we needed an instant response that would get us out of trouble, something that would not allow our inquisitive brains to let us linger, looking for the cause. However, humans learn quickly and we can train ourselves to respond positively to threats, and not to react with terror to things which prove, with experience, to be harmless. Lion tamers, tight-rope walkers, scaffolders and fire-fighters have all learnt to handle potentially dangerous situations safely. If this were not true, we would still be cowering in the backs of caves. WHAT CAUSES INSECT PHOBIA?

It's hard to be precise, though sometimes an unpleasant experience such as being badly stung by a wasp or bee may trigger it. These stings can be painful, so we all try to avoid them, but most people can cope with an occasional insect sting over the years without becoming phobic. There are no really dangerous insects and spiders found in Britain, and very few people have serious allergies to insect bites. Some people no doubt learn their insect phobia from their parents. If mother screams when she finds a spider, the children may well do so too. But on the whole, most people find that their phobia develops gradually, or comes and goes over a long period, and no particular cause or trigger is involved. In any event, it is seldom worth spending a lot of time and energy on 'rooting out the cause'. The point is to learn to control the phobia. HOW CAN I OVERCOME MY PHOBIA? People with phobias have, as said, become 'conditioned' to produce the fear reaction in situations that aren't really dangerous. The best way to counter this is by 'de-conditioning': training themselves to react correctly.

This is done by gradual exposure to the things they fear, experiencing the fears without running away, and so 'desensitising' themselves to that lash of anxiety which insists that only flight is an option. This process needs commitment from the sufferer. Sometimes anxiety is so high, the person is so sensitised to fear, that he or she cannot contemplate resisting it. Basically, so much energy is going in to avoiding what is seen as an insuperable problem that there is nothing left, or so the person perceives it, for trying to recover. In such a case a short course of anti-anxiety medication might be useful, perhaps a benzodiazepine. This won’t cure the phobia, but it may reduce the physical symptoms to a point where the person concerned feels that countering with desensitising techniques is, at least, feasible. ... we have learned our irrational fears, but we can also unlearn them ... The idea is simple, and it does not necessarily require the help of professionals, but it does call for a fair amount of courage and determination.

Family and friends can help make self-treatment much easier to manage, and this is also why many people prefer to join a self-help group where they can obtain support from people who have similar problems. Anyone who decides to try desensitisation needs to draw up a personal 'training programme'. This means working out where they are now, deciding where they want to be at the end, and fitting as many gradual 'exposure' steps in between as they need. 1. Fear of spiders Here is an example of how self-exposure steps for a serious fear of spiders (arachnophobia) could be 'graded': Step 1: Draw a small circle on a piece of paper, then draw lines through the circle for legs. Step 2: Work up to the biggest and most accurate version you can manage. Step 3: Look at black and white photos of spiders. Step 4: Look at colour photos. Step 5: Look at videos. Step 6: Look at a small dead spider in a sealed jar (first at a distance, then closer). Step 7: Then at a live one in a sealed jar (first at a distance, then closer).

Step 8: Then in a partly opened jar; then more and more open, etc. It is important to work out what exactly it is about spiders that frightens you. Is it their look? The long twiggy legs that some kinds have? The way they move? The thought that they might bite you? If you don't work out the precise nature of your fear you may waste time trying to overcome something that isn't a real problem. ... spiders have always lived with us, and they have never harmed a single person ... You should also bear in mind that although phobias tend to strike 'across the board', possibly creating a fear of all kinds of spiders, and even all insects as well, overcoming these fears can be a much more piecemeal process. This does not mean that you have to go through a desensitisation programme for every kind of insect and spider you might possibly meet, but if you succeed with one particular species, such as house spiders, don't feel you have failed if you are still at a phobic level with other insects such as moths. Just start again on the moths, at whatever 'step level' you need.

The skill and confidence you built up on the spiders will help you tackle the moths much more quickly. It is worth remembering that none of the numerous species of spiders native to Britain is capable of harming a human being. On the contrary, they help us by catching flies and other insect pests. 2. Fear of crane flies Crane flies ("Daddy long-legs") are larger members of the mosquito family, but unlike the latter they do not sting or bite. They are flimsy, fragile and highly seasonal. For most of the year there are none at all about, but in the summer months they often appear in large numbers, hatching from grubs which live on grass roots underground. They often come inside houses, sometimes attracted by electric lights, but they do not seem to survive long indoors. A self-exposure programme for severe crane fly phobia could be very similar to one for spiders and other insects: Step 1: Draw a small rough crane fly shape on (with lines for legs) on a piece of paper. Step 2: Work up to the biggest and most accurate version you can manage. Step 3: Look at black and white photos of crane flies. Step 4: Look at colour photos.

Step 5: Look at a video if you can find one. Step 6: Look at a dead one in a sealed jar (first at a distance, then closer). Step 7: Then at a live one in a sealed jar (first at a distance, then closer). Step 8: Then in a partly opened jar; then more and more open, etc. Step 9: Look at one through a closed window, then gradually open the window more and more. Step 10: Look at one from a doorway, then move closer to it, then closer still, etc. As with spiders, it is useful to work out what it is about crane flies that frightens you. Is it their look (with those long bent legs)? Or the way they fly? Or their touch? Or that they may fly into your face? If you don't establish the particular reason why you are afraid, you could be wasting time trying to overcome something that isn't the real problem. If the fear includes getting them in your hair, wearing a hair net or shower cap and keeping a good fly swat handy may help during your exposure work. If the swat handle isn't long enough, you could find some way to extend it.

You can gradually dispense with the headgear and swat as you proceed with the steps. 3. Fear of wasps and bees These creatures are also seasonal. During the winter most wasps and bees die, leaving only a queen and a few helpers hibernating in well-protected nests. Neither insect is remotely interested in human beings, but they are equipped with a nasty sting. Wasp stings are 'repeaters' and they can use them several times to defend themselves against attack. However, the stings are mainly there to kill insect prey, which is what wasps eat for most of the year; they are not aggressive towards humans. The honeybee's sting, on the other hand, is strictly a suicide weapon. Once used, it cannot be retracted, and the bee dies. For this reason, honey bee's only sting as a last resort. (Many bumblebees do not sting at all.) Almost all bee and wasp stings are accidental - caused by people sitting on the insects or brushing against them without realising. Wasps are a particular nuisance in late summer, when their numbers are greatest and they develop an appetite for fruit and sugar.

They often become 'drunk' and drowsy from overeating, and this is when they can find their way into unlikely spots such as clothing or the folds of curtains. A certain amount of caution is advisable at these times of year if there are a lot of wasps about. ... bees - remarkable and fascinating creatures ... Honeybees are very remarkable creatures - the only domesticated insect. Millions of hives of bees are kept all round the world for the sake of the honey they produce. The extraordinary ability of bees to navigate accurately over many miles to find flowers, and then to communicate this information to each other using a strange 'dance', are a fascinating subject, well worth reading more about. Indeed, finding out the facts about the complex natural history of insects will help you deal with your fears of them - as well as dispelling old wives' tales. Most people suffer a few bee and wasp stings during their lifetime, and though it hurts, there are no long-term ill effects. There are, however, a small number of people who are at serious risk because they are highly allergic to the venom in insect stings.

Anyone who suspects that they may be allergic should see their doctor for tests and make sure they have the appropriate medication available during the summer months. This fact (the possibility of allergy) should not be used as a ‘good’ reason for the fear; particularly it should not be used to instil fear in children. As said, if in doubt, organise some tests. Before starting on a desensitisation programme for bees or wasps, it is advisable to work out what it is about them that causes the fear. Is it the look, or the sound of them? If it is the buzzing noise, then the self-exposure work should concentrate on this noise, not on the insects themselves (after all, many things including power tools make a similar buzz). If the fear is of the sting, decide whether it is the thought of pain or perhaps of death that worries you most. There is no risk of death unless you have an acute allergy - and this is something you can have checked as mentioned. Pain can be eased with various ointments and sprays designed specifically for insect bites and stings. Your local chemist can advise you about which to buy.

Here is straightforward set of self-exposure steps for wasp phobia: Step 1: Draw a small rough wasp shape (with lines for legs) on a piece of paper. Step 2: Work up to the biggest and most accurate version you can manage. Step 3: Look at black and white photos of wasps. Step 4: Look at colour photos. Step 5: Look at a video if you can find one. Step 6: Look at a dead wasp in a sealed jar (first at a distance, then closer). Step 7: Then at a live one in a sealed jar (first at a distance, then closer). Step 8: Then in a partly opened jar; then more and more open, etc. Step 9: Look at one through a closed window, then gradually open the window more and more. Step 10: Look at one from a doorway, then move closer to it, then closer still, etc. 4. Fear of moths Like spiders and crane flies, moths are completely harmless to humans: they cannot bite or sting us at all. They are also rather helpless - being soft-bodied and very easy to injure or crush.

If you are afraid of moths, have you worked out what precisely triggers the fear? Is it the look of them, their rather hairy or feathery bodies? Or is it the way they tend to crash about blindly and sometimes get into your hair? Some people secretly fear that insects will get into their ears, mouths or noses, perhaps laying eggs there. (Needless to say, moths do not do this kind of thing.) If you know this before you start your self-exposure programme, you can avoid wasting time on something that is not the real problem. If 'getting in my hair' is part of it, you could wear a shower cap and wield a swat, as we suggested with crane flies. A set of self-exposure steps for moth phobia will be almost exactly like those for other insects, except that it needs to take account of the fact that moths mainly come out at night, and are attracted by lights. Step 1: Draw a small rough moth shape on a piece of paper. Step 2: Work up to the biggest and most accurate version you can manage. Step 3: Look at black and white photos of moths. Step 4: Look at colour photos.

Step 5: Look at a video if you can find one. Step 6: Look at a dead moth in a sealed jar (first at a distance, then closer). Step 7: Then at a live one in a sealed jar (first at a distance, then closer). Step 8: Then in a partly opened jar; then more and more open, etc. Step 9: Look at one through a closed window (do this at night: have a light hanging outside, and turn the inside lights off; then gradually have the light moved closer). Then open the window more and more, etc. Step 10: Look at them from a doorway, then move further towards them, then further, etc. SOME HINTS FOR SELF-EXPOSURE WORK The first step in the programme can be very simple - perhaps staying in a situation that can just be managed now, but for a little longer than before. The steps can be as large or as small as necessary and big steps can be broken down into smaller ones. But each step should challenge the anxiety a little more than the last. Don't be overwhelmed by the size of the task. As a rule, the steps become steadily easier as you work through them.

Don't expect to be completely free from anxiety before you leave each step and go onto the next - it will go completely in its own time as you progress. It is useful to work out what exactly about the insect is frightening. Is it the shape, or the sound, or the way it flutters or crashes about? Is it the fear of the sting? If so, what are you afraid of - pain? death? Why do you think you are especially at risk? If you don't work out the real focus of your fears, you could be wasting time trying to overcome the wrong problem. Find out if you are allergic if you think this would help, or arm yourself with some medication that counteracts stings. Reading about spiders, wasps, bees and other insects can help. Do the exercises as often as you can. You are trying to build up positive memories to replace all the bad ones of being beaten by the phobia, and too long a gap between efforts makes this more difficult. An hour or so at a time and repeating this every day is best. Waiting until you feel 'strong' or until you cannot avoid it any longer is not a positive approach.

Keep a 'self-exposure diary' detailing the exposure work you have undertaken and noting down the way you felt about it. Do enough at each step to raise your anxiety. You are trying to get used to a level of physical symptoms that you can manage, and where you are in control. If it is possible to find someone to work with, who can talk to you calmly and positively while you are doing the steps (and not over-sympathising or endlessly asking how bad you are feeling) this can help. Relaxation techniques can be helpful in tackling the next step, and it is easy to practice relaxation in the privacy of your own home. But if the steps you have chosen prove impossible, of if you are depressed or have other severe anxiety problems, then professional help from a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist may be needed. You can reach such professionals through your GP; and in any case we recommend that you contact your GP and talk to him or her about your disorder. PANIC Many people with phobic conditions are terrified of having a panic attack if they should find themselves near the thing they fear and be unable to 'escape' quickly enough.

Panic is an very unpleasant experience, and while it is happening it is very hard to think rationally. Typically, people who are panicking feel that they are about to have a heart attack, or go mad, or lose control of their bowels, or run amok and injure themselves and others. The urge to prevent this happening produces a powerful desire to escape from the situation immediately. In reality, the imagined horrors simply do not occur. Anxiety Care has never come across a single instance of someone having a heart attack, stroke, or brain haemorrhage, or going mad as a result of a panic attack. People don't collapse or have 'fits' during panic either. The worst that can happen is that they feel faint or dizzy and have to sit down. 'Losing control' is very rare. People do not shout and scream, or foam at the mouth, murder children or mow down passers-by during a panic. Even in the few cases where someone has claimed to have lost control, the reality is a little different. One person described to Anxiety Care how she 'rushed screaming out of the house' - but it turned out that she had taken the time to close the doors and windows first.

Another 'kicked insanely at the car window to get out', but thoughtfully removed her shoes first to avoid doing any damage. Panic is basically an internal event. It may feel as though the mind and body are breaking up, but the truth is that other people seldom even notice when someone is having an attack, especially in a busy place. They are too busy thinking about their own affairs, and even if they see someone run out of the park, they are likely to assume there is a 'sensible' reason - like being late for a bus. In any event, they will have forgotten all about it in a minute or two. The boring truth about panic is that although it feels dreadful at the time, and although the overdose of adrenaline and other chemicals can leave a person feeling drained and shaken: panic does not cause any permanent harm it does not drive people insane panic attacks only last a short time, and then they subside they subside irrespective of whether you stay in the `panic situation' or 'escape'. Final notes If you enlist the help of a friend or family member in the work of overcoming your phobia, read the booklet ‘Self-treatment for Phobias’, available on this website and make sure they read it too.

Ensure that the helper has no preconceived ideas about overcoming fears. Too many people favour the ‘in the deep end’ approach and you do not need to have the object of your terror suddenly waved in your face in the guise of helping. If your partner is not sympathetic to your plight, don’t choose him or her to help. Some animal phobics coming to Anxiety Care have detailed partners and family members who have used their phobic fear against them as a means of controlling their behaviour, or simply controlling their lives. If in doubt about this it is always safer to believe your eyes than your ears. That is, don’t listen to what a person says he or she is doing; turn off the volume and watch what they are actually doing. Finally, there are no extra points for getting better the most painful or difficult way. Choose appropriate steps; small amounts of anxiety are just as effective as large amounts in retraining that part of the brain that controls anxiety reactions. Never be afraid of breaking up steps into smaller steps if there is a sticking point. And never, ever use a sticking point as a reason to give up. The only failure is not trying.

The approach described in this leaflet follows the standard principles of behavioural therapy as practised by psychiatrists and psychologists in the NHS and throughout the world. The basic reference work on which we have drawn is Fears, Phobias and Rituals by Professor I M Marks, published by Oxford University Press (1987) Phobias Entomophobia- Fear of insects | Phobia Source Home » Phobia List Entomophobia- Fear of insects Entomophobia is having an excessive or persistent fear of insects, whether the insects are harmful or not. This includes fear of spiders, bugs, mites, cockroaches or other small creatures that creep and crawl. They experience extreme anxiety at the mere sight of an insect. Sufferers usually find themselves cleaning rooms, floors, doors, and windows. Causes may be linked from past traumatic events during childhood. Being stung by a bee may be a trigger to the fear or knowing someone to be allergic to bees. Individuals may also get this fear of insects from parents who are afraid of insects.

Another reason for this phobia is the fear that these insects are carriers of disease such as the ‘kissing disease’ or chiggers caused by the bite of a bug or malaria and other hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola which is caused by a bite of a mosquito. One might have been bitten by an insect before and experienced pain thus they fear bugs. Symptoms of Entomophobia include feeling of terror, panic, anxiety, increased heart rate, tremors, and shortness of breath. Systematic desensitization is one of the most common treatments for this type of phobia. The goal is to reduce or eliminate the phobia to help the patient cope with the fear. Relaxation technique is another way wherein it will help alleviate the tension and anxiety that is in their daily life.

Question: Entomophobia is the irrational fear of which type of creatures?
Answer: Insects